Posted on December 18, 2012
Living in the Bay Area over the winter can be wonderful. Our weather is certainly milder than, say, Canada’s. However, if there is one good thing about living on the tundra, it’s that the bitter cold freezes out almost all pestilential forms of life, including bugs, rodents, etc.
During the winter, when it gets colder, unwelcome pests may retreat to warmer ground – such as your home or office – and take up temporary residence. According to the National Pest Management Association, over 20 million homes in the United States get invaded by rodents and pests every winter, and American spend $4 billion annually to eliminate these yucky, scary critters.
Rodents are more than just a nuisance. In addition to scratching your walls and giving your children nightmares, rodents can also carry Hantavirus, salmonella and other nasty diseases. They can also chew through electrical wiring, causing short-circuits, fires, and structural damage.
To eliminate these pests, the NMPA recommends that you store items in sealed containers as opposed to cardboard boxes (which are easily gnawable). The same goes for clothes and food. You should also get rid of your garbage on a regular basis, install screens over chimney vents, seal up any holes and cracks in your home, and replace worn away foundation, loose mortar stones, and degenerated weather stripping.
The NMPA also suggest that homeowners fix any drainage problems by installing gutters to keep your home drier during the wetBay Area winter. If you store piles of firewood to burn in your backyard, keep those piles at least 20 feet away from your house and 5 feet off the ground. You don’t want those piles to become breeding grounds for little pests.
If you do notice signs of a potential pest infestation — such as rodent droppings, gnaw marks in your walls or insulation, or sounds of little gnarly creatures burrowing through your walls — don’t ignore them. Instead, get in touch with the team here atMatrix PE for thorough, effective, and cost-effective solutions to your pest problem. Protect your home and family – or business – by contacting our team today.